Astilbe plant named ‘Valery’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Astilbe  plant named ‘Valery’, characterized by its compact, upright and sturdy plant habit; strong and healthy dark green-colored foliage; freely flowering habit; red purple-colored flowers arranged on thick flowering stems; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Astilbe chinensis.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Valery’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Astilbe,botanically known as Astilbe chinensis and hereinafter referred to bythe name ‘Valery’.

The new Astilbe is a product of a planned breeding program conducted bythe Inventor in Zuidwolde, The Netherlands. The objective of thebreeding program was to create new compact and sturdy Astilbe cultivarswith numerous attractive flowers.

The new Astilbe originated from an open-pollination in 1999 inZuidwolde, The Netherlands, of an unidentified selection of Astilbechinensis, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with an unknownselection of Astilbe chinensis, as the male, or pollen, parent. The newAstilbe was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a singleflowering plant within the progeny of the stated open-pollination in acontrolled environment in Zuidwolde, The Netherlands in 2002.

Asexual reproduction of the new Astilbe by divisions in a controlledenvironment in Zuidwolde, The Netherlands since 2004, has shown that theunique features of this new Astilbe are stable and reproduced true totype in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar Valery has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature andlight intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Valery’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Valery’ as a new and distinct cultivar ofAstilbe:

-   -   1. Compact, upright and sturdy plant habit.    -   2. Strong and healthy dark green-colored foliage.    -   3. Freely flowering habit.    -   4. Red purple-colored flowers arranged on thick flowering stems.    -   5. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Astilbe and the female parent selection differprimarily in flower coloration and plant height.

Plants of the new Astilbe can be compared to plants of the cultivarVision in Red, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,965. In side-by-sidecomparisons conducted in Zuidwolde, The Netherlands, plants of the newAstilbe and the cultivar Vision in Red differed in the followingcharacteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Astilbe were compact than plants of the        cultivar Vision in Red.    -   2. Plants of the new Astilbe and the cultivar Vision in Red        differed in leaf and flower coloration.    -   3. Plants of the new Astilbe had fewer flowering stems than        plants of the cultivar Vision in Red.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Astilbe, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Astilbe.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of atypical flowering plant of ‘Valery’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typicalinflorescence of ‘Valery’.

The photograph at the top of the third sheet is a close-up view oftypical flowers of ‘Valery’.

The photograph at the bottom of the third sheet is a close-up view ofthe upper surface of a typical leaf of ‘Valery’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown in containers in Zuidwolde, TheNetherlands, under commercial practice during the summer autumn in anoutdoor nursery with day temperatures ranging from 12° C. to 32° C. andnight temperatures ranging from 6° C. to 18° C. Plants had been growingfor about one year when the photographs and description were taken. Inthe following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Astilbe chinensis cultivar Valery.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unidentified selection of Astilbe            chinensis, not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unknown selection of Astilbe            chinensis, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By divisions.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 10 days at 22° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 20 days at 10° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted plant.—About six weeks at 20° C. to            25° C.        -   Root description.—Fibrous, medium in thickness; yellowish            white in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Moderately branching.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant form/habit.—Herbaceous perennial. Upright and sturdy            plant habit; roughly narrowly triangular. Flowering stems            and leaves basal; dense and bushy growth habit; moderately            vigorous growth habit. Freely flowering habit with numerous            flowers on branched panicles with thick peduncles.        -   Growth rate.—Moderate; from divisions, about 20 weeks are            required to produce fully-grown flowering plants.        -   Plant height (soil level to top of foliar plane).—About 24            cm.        -   Plant height (soil level to top of inflorescences).—About 53            cm.        -   Plant width (spread).—About 56 cm.        -   Stem description.—Length: About 23.8 cm. Diameter: About            5 mm. Internode length: About 4 cm. Strength: Strong.            Texture: Sparsely pubescent. Color: 152A to 152B flushed            with 178B.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate; biternately compound.        -   Leaf length (excluding petiole).—About 18.1 cm.        -   Leaf width.—About 22.1 cm.        -   Lateral leaflet length.—About 4.2 cm.        -   Lateral leaflet width.—About 2.6 cm.        -   Terminal leaflet length.—About 4.8 cm.        -   Terminal leaflet width.—About 3.1 cm.        -   Lateral and terminal leaflet shape.—Ovate.        -   Lateral and terminal leaflet apex.—Acute.        -   Lateral and terminal leaflet base.—Obtuse to rounded.        -   Lateral and terminal leaflet margin.—Biserrate.        -   Lateral and terminal leaflet texture, upper and lower            surfaces.—Sparsely pubescent; slightly rough.        -   Lateral and terminal leaflet venation pattern.—Pinnate.        -   Lateral and terminal leaflet color.—Developing leaves, upper            surface: Slightly darker than 143A. Developing leaves, lower            surface: 144A. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: 137A;            venation, 138B. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: 138A;            venation, 146C to 146D.        -   Leaf petiole length.—About 11 cm.        -   Leaf petiole diameter.—About 3 mm.        -   Leaflet petiole length.—About 4.7 cm.        -   Leaflet petiole width.—About 3 mm.        -   Leaf and leaflet petiole texture, upper and lower            surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.        -   Leaf and leaflet petiole color, upper and lower            surfaces.—Towards the apex, 178B; towards the base, close to            152B to 152C.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower type/habit.—Numerous single rotate flowers arranged            on branched panicles; flowers face upright, outward or            downward depending on position on the panicle. Panicles very            narrowly conical in shape. Freely and uniformly flowering            habit with about 1,000 flowers develop per inflorescence;            typically four panicles develop per plant. Flowers sessile.        -   Fragrance.—Faintly fragrant; sweet.        -   Natural flowering season.—Continuously flowering for about            six weeks during the summer and late summer in The            Netherlands.        -   Postproduction longevity.—Flowers last about ten days on the            plant. Flowers persistent.        -   Flower buds.—Height: About 2 mm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm.            Shape: Broadly ovate. Color: 183C to 183D.        -   Inflorescence height.—About 29.2 cm.        -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 12.8 cm.        -   Flower diameter.—About 5 mm.        -   Flower depth.—About 5 mm.        -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: Typically five in a single            whorl. Length: About 4 mm. Lobe width: About 0.5 mm. Shape:            Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and            lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Developing petals,            upper and lower surfaces: Close to 85A to 85B. Fully            expanded petals, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 85A to            85B; color becoming closer to 85A with development.        -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Typically five in a single            whorl, fused towards the base; campanulate calyx. Length:            About 2.5 mm. Width: About 1 mm. Shape: Ovate. Apex: Acute.            Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,            glabrous. Color, developing sepals, upper and lower            surfaces: Close to 183C to 183D. Color, fully expanded            sepals, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 72B to 72C;            towards the base, close to 65D.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 28.8 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm.            Angle: Mostly erect. Strength: Strong. Texture: Densely            pubescent. Color: Close to 152A to 152B flushed with 178B.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Typically            ten; anthers basifixed. Filament length: About 2 mm. Anther            shape: Ovate. Anther length: About 0.2 mm. Anther color:            Slightly more grey than 94C. Pollen amount: Scarce to            moderate. Pollen color: Close to 155D. Pistils: Quantity per            flower: Typically two. Pistil length: About 1 mm. Stigma            shape: Club-shaped. Stigma color: 72B to 72C. Style length:            About 0.9 mm. Style color: Close to 72C. Ovary color: Close            to 72D.        -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit development have not been            observed.-   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Astilbe have not been    noted to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Astilbe.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Astilbe have been observed to    have good garden performance and tolerate rain, wind and high    temperatures of about 35° C. Plants of the new Astilbe have been    observed to be hardy to USDA Zone 5.

1. A new and distinct Astilbe plant named ‘Valery’ as illustrated anddescribed.